DIVISION OF REACTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS MONTHLY REPORT FOR MAY 1959
Experiments to determine the effects of PuO/sup 2/ additions on sinterability of UO/sub 2/ progressed to the point that some conclusions were drawn. Pu metal was heated with excess carbon; the resulting compounds were the phases PuC and Pu/sub 2/ C/sub 3/. Fabrication studies included work on Al --Zr metallurgical bonds, reduction of alumina-filled stainless steel cans by rolling, and a thermal cycling test of a full-length Zircaloy-clad wire-wrapped dummy element. Also, corrosion testing of Al rods is reported. Fabrication technique development such as cross section reduction for thin wall tubdng by a swaging technique and a control device for hot swaging are reported. Good corrosion resistance in hot-swaged Zircaloy-2 clad fuel elements is reported. In fuel evaluation a UO/sub 2/ fuel rod was irradiated in the ETR for six days prior to a fission-caused break; results of examination are given. Results of Zircaloy-2 hydriding tests are tabulated. In coolant systems testing, loop tests on Zircaloy-2 clad PRTR fuel elements are reported in which only a minor amount of swelling was noted, also results of thermal cycle tests on PRTR fuel elements are given. In thermal studies, heat transfer experiments to evaluate the requirements for air cooling PRTR fuel elements were completed; data are being evaluated. Various pump and other reactor auxiliary tests are reported in mechanical development testing. In reactor technology development, the PRTR safety circudt was studied, and a recommendation was made to remove several trips, thus decreasing the number of spurious scrams. The construction status of PRTR and several components is reported in relation to the various phases along with development in the Pu fabrication pilot plant. Results of aged UO/sub 2/ molten salt cycling to observe the behavior of fission products are reported as well as a molten salt cycling procedure for ThO/sub 2/-UO/sub 2/ separation. Nuclear safety limits for air shipment of Al--Pu alloys are reported. A discussion of criticality resulting in case of a PRTR fuel meltdown is given. Progress in the RBU code is summarized; the Monte Carlo portion is complete, while the diffusion and burnup have not been tested with a sample problem. In the basic swelling studies program, evaluation of thermocouples and heating elements for the swelling behavior capsule is reported. In addition, studies of rare gas diffusion through U are in progress using helium. The pore size distribution in U is also being studied. Comparisons of PCTR and GCR lattices are presented in the central station reactor program section. Preirradiation tests of silicon carbide coated reactor grade graphite are reported; the samples were subsequently charged into the KE reactor. Progress is reported in fixation of radioactive wastes such as the destruction of sodium nitrate in spray calciners by addition of sugar and investigations of decontamination of low-level wastes by allowing aluminum hydroxide to scavenge radioactive material from the D- 2 Redox stream. Data are given on column ion exchange removal of Cs/sup 134/ from a 0.6 gal/min/ft/sup 2/ stream. (For preceding period see HW-60331.) (J.R.D.)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-52
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-017309
- OSTI ID:
- 4244623
- Report Number(s):
- HW-60674
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AIR- ALUMINUM ALLOYS- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS- REACTOR SAFETY- REACTORS
AIR- COOLANTS- COOLING- FUEL ELEMENTS- HEAT TRANSFER- PRTR- REACTORS
ALUMINUM HYDROXIDES- DECONTAMINATION- RADIOACTIVITY- REACTORS- REDOX PROCESS- SODIUM NITRATES- SOLVENT EXTRACTION- SUGARS- WASTE DISPOSAL
ALUMINUM- BONDING- CANNING- FABRICATION- METALLURGY- REACTORS- STAINLESS STEELS- WIRES- ZIRCALOY- ZIRCONIUM
ALUMINUM- CORROSION- MATERIALS TESTING- REACTORS- RODS- TESTING
CANNING- CORROSION- - CORROSION PROTECTION- FUEL ELEMENTS- REACTORS- ZIRCALOY
CARBON- CHEMICAL REACTIONS- HEAT TREATMENTS- HEATING- METALS- PLUTONIUM- PLUTONI